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Friday, December 26, 2014

Epiphany Novena

I pray that you may experience the joy and love of the Holy Family this Christmas season! God bless!

***This novena begins December 28--which is this Sunday!

The Epiphany, traditionally celebrated on January 6, falls on the twelfth day after Christmas and celebrates the visit of the three kings to the Christ Child. At Christ's Nativity, the angels bore witness to Christ, and the Shepherds, representing the people of Israel, bowed down before Him. It is at the visitation of the Magi, the Epiphany, that Christ's majesty and divinity are revealed to the Gentiles. This manifestation signifies the extension of salvation to all people. On this feast and throughout the new year, let us then imitate the Magi, who responded to the newborn King with faith and love. Let us strive to offer to Him wholehearted gifts of our lives.

This Novena is prayed beginning on December 28, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and ending on January 5, the Vigil of the Epiphany.

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Novena to the Magi in Anticipation of the Epiphany

28 December: O holy Magi! You were living in continual expectation of the rising of the Star of Jacob, which would announce the birth of the true Sun of justice; obtain for us an increase of faith and charity, and the grace to live in continual hope of beholding one day the light of heavenly glory and eternal joy.Glory be to the Father ...29 December: O holy Magi! who at the first appearance of the wondrous star left your native country to go and seek the newborn King of the Jews; obtain for us the grace of corresponding with alacrity to every divine inspiration.
Glory be to the Father... .

30 December: O holy Magi! who regarded neither the severity of the season, nor the inconveniences of the journey that you might find the newborn Messiah; obtain for us the grace not to allow ourselves to be discouraged by any of the difficulties which may meet us on the way of salvation.
Glory be to the Father... .

31 December: O holy Magi, who, when deserted by the star in the city of Jerusalem, sought humbly, and without human respect, from the rulers of the Church, the place where you might discover the object of your journey; obtain for us grace to have recourse, in faith and humility, in all our doubts and perplexities to the counsel of our superiors, who hold the place of God on earth.
Glory be to the Father... .

1 January: O holy Magi, who were gladdened by the reappearance of the star which led you to Bethlehem; obtain for us from God the grace, that, remaining always faithful to Him in afflictions, we may be consoled in time by His grace, and in eternity by His glory.
Glory be to the Father... .

2 January: O holy Magi, who, entering full of faith into the stable of Bethlehem, prostrated yourselves on the earth, to adore the newborn King of the Jews, though he was surrounded only by signs of poverty and weakness; obtain from the Lord for us a lively faith in the real presence of Jesus in the blessed Sacrament, the true spirit of poverty, and a Christ-like charity for the poor and suffering.
Glory be to the Father... .

3 January: O holy Magi, who offered to Jesus Christ gold, incense, and myrrh, thereby recognizing Him to be at once King, God, and Man; obtain from the Lord for us the grace never to present ourselves before Him with empty hands; but that we may continually offer to Him the gold of charity, the incense of prayer, and the myrrh of penance and mortification.
Glory be to the Father... .

4 January: O holy Magi, who, when warned by an angel not to return to Herd, traveled back to your
country be another road; obtain for us from the Lord, the grace that, after having found Him in true repentance, we may avoid all danger of losing Him again.
Glory be to the Father... .

5 January: O holy Magi, who were first among the Gentiles called to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and who persevered in the faith till your deaths, obtain for us of the Lord the grace of living always in conformity to our baptismal vows, ever leading to a life of faith; that like you we may attain to the beatific vision of that God Who now is the object of our faith.
Glory be to the Father... .